Chapter 3

Liam stood up, placing himself slightly in front of Ava. He was taller than Ethan, his presence calm but firm.

"That's enough, Ethan," Liam said, his voice even but carrying an undeniable authority.

Ethan looked Liam up and down. "And who are you? Her new meal ticket?"

"I was an investor in NovaSpark," Liam stated. "I know Ava's talent and her integrity. Something you clearly wouldn't understand."

He then looked directly at Ethan. "Five years she supported you. Five years she believed in your music when you were playing to empty rooms. And this is how you repay her? With public humiliation and lies?"

Ethan' s face flushed. "She was holding me back! Now I'm with the Hamiltons. I don't need her charity anymore."

"Charity?" Liam's eyebrow arched. "It's fascinating how quickly 'new money' forgets where it came from. Or who helped them get there."

Liam' s words hit Ethan like a physical blow. Some onlookers murmured.

Chloe looked uneasy, her grip on Ethan' s arm tightening.

"The Hamiltons you're so proud of?" Liam continued, his tone dismissive. "My family has done business with them for generations. They're respectable. I wonder what they'd think of this display."

Ethan paled slightly. He hadn't anticipated Liam having any real standing.

Liam then turned to Ava, his expression softening. He gently took her hand.

"Ava, let's go."

Before Ethan could utter another word, Liam leaned down and pressed a soft, brief kiss on Ava's lips. It wasn't passionate, but it was possessive, a clear statement.

It shut Ethan up completely.

Liam led a stunned Ava out of the lounge, leaving Ethan and Chloe amidst a buzz of whispers.

Outside, the cool night air hit Ava' s face. Liam still held her hand.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

Ava could only nod, tears finally welling in her eyes.

He hailed a cab. "Where can I take you?"

"Home," Ava whispered. Then, a new resolve formed. "No. Take me to my grandfather's estate. Arthur Sterling."

It was time to stop running from her legacy, from Innovate Corp.

Liam gave the driver the address to one of the most exclusive properties in the state. He didn't seem surprised.

During the ride, he simply held her hand, a silent, unwavering support that was a world away from Ethan's volatile insecurity. She saw him now, a true ally.